Sizzling temps trigger demand for A/C, fans

PHILADELPHIA - June 21, 2012 (WPVI) -- Not even a river breeze could help at Penn's Landing today.

The Independence Seaport Museum opted to close the crusier Olympia when inside temperatures of the flagship neared triple digits.

"The Olympia is intact as she was and that's without air conditioning. We have a bunch of fans that run, but they essentially just act as hair dryers and move the hot air around the ship," Jesse Lebovics of the Independence Seaport Museum said.

To try to beat the heat those who needed an AM workout along Kelly drive were out in force by 7:30.

PECO today donated 500 fans to senior groups in the five counties. In extreme heat, seniors and the disabled are most at risk and that's something visiting Nurse Jean Lagenbach is aware of.

"Dehydration only takes several hours to do you in, especially when you're frail and elderly," Jean Lagenbach of the Community Care of the Northeast.

Lagenbach, with the faith based Community Care of the Northeast, let us tag along on two home visits.

In both stops, the A/C was cooling and clients were well-versed in how to deal with extreme heat.

"I don't go out as much as I sometimes do," client Martha Moser said.

But Lagenbach says some folks on fixed income try to save money and shut off their air conditioning.

"Just last week I rescued two people. Phone calls came from the home health aides, saying the home was 90 degrees inside. They were weak, they could barely make it down the steps," Lagenbach said.

Officials say, in this type of heat, make sure to check in on the elderly and homebound.

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philadelphia, heat wave, local/state, john rawlins

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